[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 113 (Monday, July 29, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H8627-H8629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 191) to recognize and honor the 
Filipino World War II veterans for their defense of democratic ideals 
and their important contribution to the outcome of World War II.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 191

       Whereas the Commonwealth of the Philippines was 
     strategically located and thus vital to the defense of the 
     United States during World War II;
       Whereas the military forces of the Commonwealth of the 
     Philippines were called into the United States Armed Forces 
     during World War II by Executive order and were put under the 
     command of General Douglas MacArthur;
       Whereas the participation of the military forces of the 
     Commonwealth of the Philippines in the battles of Bataan and 
     Corregidor and in other smaller skirmishes delayed and 
     disrupted the initial Japanese effort to conquer the Western 
     Pacific;
       Whereas that delay and disruption allowed the United States 
     the vital time to prepare the forces which were needed to 
     drive the Japanese from the Western Pacific and to defeat 
     Japan;
       Whereas after the recovery of the Philippine Islands from 
     Japan, the United States was able to use the strategically 
     located Commonwealth of the Philippines as a base from which 
     to launch the final efforts to defeat Japan;
       Whereas every American deserves to know the important 
     contribution that the military forces of the Commonwealth of 
     the Philippines made to the outcome of World War II; and
       Whereas the Filipino World War II veterans deserve 
     recognition and honor for their important contribution to the 
     outcome of World War II: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representative (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress recognizes and honors the 
     Filipino World War II veterans for their defense of 
     democratic ideals and their important contribution to the 
     outcome of World War II.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel] 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter].
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides long-delayed 
recognition to persons considered to be members of the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army veterans and members of the Special Philippine 
Scouts--by reason of service with the allied Armed Forces during World 
War II.
  On July 26, 1941, President Roosevelt issued a military order, 
pursuant to the Philippines Independence Act of 1934, calling members 
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the United 
States forces of the Far East, under the command of Lt. Gen. Douglas 
MacArthur.
  For almost 4 years, over 100,000 Filipinos, of the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army fought alongside the allies to reclaim the Philippine 
Islands from Japan. Unfortunately, Congress rewarded this service by 
enacting the Rescission Act of 1946. This measure denied the members of 
the Philippine Commonwealth Army the honor of being recognized as 
veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
  A second group, the Special Philippine Scouts called ``New scouts'' 
who enlisted in the United States Armed Forces after October 6, 1945, 
primarily to perform occupation duty in the Pacific, have also never 
received official recognition.
  It is time to correct this injustice and to provide the official 
recognition

[[Page H8628]]

long overdue for members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the 
Special Philippine Scouts that they valiantly earned for their service 
to the United States and the allied cause during World War II.
  This Member strongly urges his colleagues to vote for this resolution 
to correct this grave injustice and provides recognition to members of 
the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the members of the Special 
Philippine Scouts.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this. The Philippines and the United 
States have a long history of friendship and cooperation. Just recently 
President Clinton praised the contribution of Filipino veterans, and he 
did it so recently. He did so during his trip in 1994, when he visited 
the Philippines.
  The role of the Filipino veterans is very, very important in the 
victory over Japan in World War II. It is very appropriate, I believe, 
for Congress to recognize and honor the service provided by these 
veterans.
  As the resolution notes, Filipino veterans were important players in 
the effort to defeat Japan in World War II. The Philippine Islands 
played a critical role as a strategic base for launching the final 
effort to defeat Japan.
  This resolution seeks to convey the appreciation of the Congress for 
these contributions. I believe it is very fitting that we do so.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Filner].
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska for 
moving this legislation very quickly through the subcommittee, and I 
wish the chairman, Mr. Gilman, was here. He has worked long and hard to 
make sure that this resolution gets to the floor. Our colleagues over 
in the Senate, Senators Inouye and Akaka, will move this legislation 
very rapidly through their body, and I thank them profusely for that.
  Mr. Speaker, today is an historic day in this Chamber. We are taking 
the first step in the long overdue recognition of a group of brave 
soldiers who played a significant role in the outcome of World War II; 
that is, the Filipino veterans.
  Too few Americans are familiar with this chapter in our Nation's 
history. During World War II, the military forces of the Commonwealth 
of the Philippines were drafted to serve in our armed forces by an 
Executive order of the President of the United States. Under the 
command of General Douglas MacArthur, they fought side-by-side with 
forces from the United States mainland against our common enemy. 
Filipino soldiers defended the American flag in the now famous battles 
of Bataan and Corridor. Thousands of Filipino prisoners of war died 
during the 65-mile Bataan death march. Those who survived were 
imprisoned under inhumane conditions, where they suffered casualties at 
the rate of up to 200 prisoners each day. They endured 4 long years of 
enemy occupation. Those soldiers fortunate to escape capture, together 
with Filipino civilians, fought against the occupation forces. Their 
guerrilla attacks foiled the plans of the Japanese for a quick takeover 
of the region and allowed the United States the time needed to prepare 
forces to defeat Japan. After the liberation of the Philippine Islands, 
the United States was able to use the strategically located 
Commonwealth of the Philippines as a base from which to launch the 
final efforts to win the war.
  With their vital participation so evident, one would assume the 
United States would be grateful to their Filipino comrades. So it is 
hard to believe that soon after the war ended, the 79th Congress voted 
in a way that only can be considered to be blatant discrimination, 
taking away the recognition and benefits that the Filipino World War II 
veterans were promised, the recognition and benefits so richly 
deserved.
  The Washington Post wrote in 1947 that ``While the Philippine Islands 
were still under United States sovereignty, the President issued an 
order making the Filipino Army a part of the American Army. This made 
the Filipino soldiers who constituted that army a part of our fighting 
forces as much as were soldiers drafted from the States, and they 
remained in this status until the eve of the Philippine independence. 
Last year, however, Congress passed the First Rescission Act denying to 
Filipino veterans most of the benefits that go automatically to other 
veterans who were exposed to similar risks and hardships. ``We cannot 
help thinking,'' wrote the Post, ``that if Congress reviews the 
situation with full realization these men were members of our own army 
and subject to its orders, it will see that a great injustice has been 
done.''

  That was 50 years ago, Mr. Speaker.
  Even President Truman, who signed the Rescission Act, said it did not 
release the United States from its obligation to provide for the heroic 
Filipino veterans who scarified so much during the war. He believed it 
was a moral obligation of the United States to look after the welfare 
of Filipino veterans. So do I, and so do my colleagues who join me in 
cosponsoring this resolution today.
  It has taken Congress 50 years to act, but finally we are going to 
correct this situation. The Senate earlier this month passed Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 64 and honored the Filipino World War II 
veterans. Today, the House of Representatives will join the Senate in 
this important statement.
  I want to thank all the Filipino veterans and all their sons and 
daughters who have called and written to educate Members of this 
Congress. This momentous vote would not have occurred without their 
efforts and persistence.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a Member of this body. We are 
acting in a manner to correct the wrongs inflicted on these brave 
veterans. This is a first step. In the next Congress I will reintroduce 
the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which follows the recognition we 
bestow today with benefits the Filipino veterans were promised.
  Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents are veterans affected by this 
resolution. Not a day goes by when they do not pray for a restoration 
of their honor and dignity. I urge my colleagues to correct a 
monumental injustice by recognizing and honoring the brave Filipino 
World War II veterans for their defense of democratic ideas and their 
important service and contribution to our victory in World War II.
  Again I thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel], the gentleman 
from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], 
the chairman, and the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], the 
ranking member, for allowing us to vote on this today.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Guam 
[Mr. Underwood].
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to commend the Members 
of the other body for processing this resolution, particularly Senators 
Inouye and Akaka, and also congratulate and thank the gentleman from 
New York, Mr. Gilman, and the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Bereuter, 
for moving this legislation to the floor in a timely manner.
  I represent Guam, which is the closest American jurisdiction to the 
Philippines, and we on Guam are fully aware of the situation confronted 
by the Filipino veterans, having endured the Japanese occupation 
ourselves.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
191, a concurrent resolution to recognize and honor the Filipino World 
War II veterans. Although mainly symbolic and long overdue, this 
resolution is a step toward this body's full recognition of the loyalty 
and sacrifices of the over 30,000 Filipino soldiers who fought and died 
alongside our soldiers in World War II.
  Gen. Douglas MacArthur, referring to the defenders of Bataan and 
Corregidor, claimed that ``no army has ever done so much with so 
little.'' Many of us take this as words of commendation meant for 
American forces defending the Philippines. However, we must not 
overlook the fact that a substantial portion of this defense force was 
composed of Filipino volunteers.
  Although they fought and died alongside American comrades, these 
veterans were never afforded equal status. Prior to mass discharges and 
disbanding of their unit in 1949, these veterans were paid only a third 
of what regular

[[Page H8629]]

 service members received at the time. Underpaid, having been denied 
benefits and lacking proper recognition, General MacArthur's words 
truly depict the plight of the remaining Filipino veterans today as 
they did half a century ago.
  I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 191 and 
consider this resolution as a commitment toward future legislation to 
fully recognizing the contributions and recognize status of Filipino 
World War II veterans.
  To the many fine residents of Guam are members of the Philipine 
Scouts: I salute you. Your service should not be forgotten and will not 
be forgotten.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to not only recognize the leadership of the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] and thank the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Engel], but to recognize that a lead cosponsor was the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner], whose remarks you heard, and 
thank the gentleman from Guam [Mr. Underwood] for his very salient 
remarks.
  Additionally, I wanted to mention that the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman 
from Arizona [Mr. Stump], and the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. 
Montgomery], original cosponsors, along with the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Solomon], the gentleman from California [Mr. Dornan], the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Campbell], the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Bilbray], the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Flanagan], the 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Talent], the gentlewoman from California 
[Ms. Pelosi], the gentleman from Hawaii [Mr. Abercrombie], the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii [Mrs. Mink], the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Evans], the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], and the gentleman 
from Illinois [Mr. Gutierrez].
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
to provide long-delayed recognition to persons considered to be members 
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans and members of the Special 
Philippine Scouts--by reason of service with the Allied Armed Forces 
during World War II.
  We must correct the grave injustice that has befallen this brave 
group of veterans, since their valiant service, on behalf of the United 
States, during the Second World War.
  On July 26, 1941, President Roosevelt issued a military order, 
pursuant to the Philippines Independence Act of 1934, calling members 
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the United 
States Forces of the Far East, under the command of Lt. Gen. Douglas 
MacArthur.
  For almost 4 years, over 100,000 Filipinos, of the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army fought alongside the Allies to reclaim the Philippine 
Islands from Japan. Regrettably, in return, Congress enacted the 
Rescission Act of 1946. This measure denied the members of the 
Philippine Commonwealth Army the honor of being recognized as veterans 
of the United States Armed Forces.
  A second group, the Special Philippine Scouts called New Scouts who 
enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces after October 6, 1945, primarily to 
perform occupation duty in the Pacific, have also never received 
official recognition.

  I believe it is time to correct this injustice and to provide the 
official recognition long overdue for members of the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army and the Special Philippine Scouts that they valiantly 
earned for their service to the United States and the Allied cause 
during World War II.
  These members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Special 
Philippine Scouts served just as courageously and made the same 
sacrifices as their American counterparts during the Pacific war. Their 
contribution helped disrupt the initial Japanese offensive timetable in 
1942, at a point when the Japanese were expanding almost unchecked 
throughout the Western Pacific.
  This delay in the Japanese plans bought valuable time for scattered 
Allied Forces to regroup, reorganize, and prepare for checking the 
Japanese in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway.
  It also earned those who were unfortunate enough to be captured the 
wrath of their Japanese captors. As a result, these Filipino prisoners 
joined their American counterparts in the Bataan Death March, along 
with suffering inhumane treatment which redefined the limits of human 
depravity.
  During the next 2 years, Filipino Scout units, operating from rural 
bases, tied down precious Japanese resources and manpower through 
guerilla warfare tactics.
  In 1944, Filipino forces provided valuable assistance in the 
liberation of the Philippine Islands which in turn became an important 
base for taking the war to the Japanese homeland. Without the 
assistance of Filipino units and guerrilla forces, the liberation of 
the Philippine Islands would have taken much longer and been far 
costlier than it actually was.
  In a letter to Congress dated May 16, 1946, President Harry S. Truman 
wrote:

       The Philippine Army veterans are nationals of the United 
     States and will continue in that status after July 4, 1946. 
     They fought under the American flag and under the direction 
     of our military leaders. They fought with gallantry and 
     courage under the most difficult conditions during the recent 
     conflict. They were commissioned by us, their official 
     organization, the Army of its Philippine Commonwealth was 
     taken into the Armed Forces of the United States on July 26, 
     1941. That order has never been revoked and amended. I 
     consider it a moral obligation of the United States to look 
     after the welfare of the Filipino veterans.

  Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution that 
corrects this grave injustice and provides recognition to members of 
the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the members of the Special 
Philippine Scouts, which they fully deserve.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my support to the recognition 
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans who stood beside the 
United States servicemembers during the Second World War. The efforts 
of these members of the Philippine Army were essential in operations 
that helped free the nation of the Philippines from Japanese aggression 
and resulted in the defeat of Japan's expansion efforts. Nearly 100,000 
Filipino soldiers endured more than 4 years of battle that left over 1 
million Philippine civilians, soldiers, and guerrilla fighters dead.
  In 1946, Congress passed a Rescission Act that declared that the 
service provided by these brave people did not qualify them for 
veteran's benefits. These veterans were called to duty under the 
command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and they were U.S. soldiers. The 
Philippine Scouts, who served after October 6, 1945, were also United 
States soldiers. House Concurrent Resolution 191 restores the 
recognition these brave soldiers deserve.
  This recognition is long overdue. We long ago promised these veterans 
the benefits they earned and we turned our backs on them. After 
ignoring the injustice of this country's bias so long, I am pleased 
that we can now provide a first step toward correcting this 
longstanding oversight. These veterans deserve the same rights and 
benefits as members of the U.S. services. It is only right that we 
fulfill our promises and recognize these deserving servicemembers.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 
191.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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